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BearCreekBixby
Bear Creek is a put-and-grow stream in Clayton County, Iowa. It is located on public land, inside Bixby State Preserve, just north of the town of Edgewood. The Preserve, a former state park, is best known for its unique ice cave, which is just a short hike up from the parking area. New! Interactive StoryMap of my 2014 trip to Bear Creek! Location and Access Ratings Trip Reports July 4, 2012 Bear Creek is in Bixby State Park, about 2 miles north of Edgewood. There are signs in town. My impression is that this is some kind of "de-commissioned" state park (later note: it is, due to protected species of plants and animals, as well as the ice cave), as it is somewhat in disrepair. It has the familiar stone gates, but no signage. Also, the road going through the park is closed after the stream. There did seem to be a lot of earth-moving equipment around, and the road received some new gravel and grading recently. If you proceed north, the stream crosses the road, and there is a parking lot to the east. There is a little picnic lodge and some other structures and trails in the woods, again, they appear to be untended. Bear Creek is one of the more unusual trout streams I have encountered in Iowa. It runs quick and clear, then in spots it disappears into the rock, and comes back up downstream! It has a number of very big, still, deep holes. Access is easy from the parking lot- just go east through the mowed field. There are angler trails and signs of use here, and the stream can be followed east for quite a ways. I was running out of time and getting overheated, so I fished just a few pools. In the pool right by the parking lot, a very large trout followed my spinner, but I could not get him to bite. These fish seemed much more finicky. There is a huge population of creek chubs and they continually grabbed my lure. Interestingly, there are also quite a few bluegill or sunfish in the pools. Although I have heard of sunfish inhabiting streams in the South, I have never seen them in small moving water in Iowa, much less a trout stream. There appeared to be many smaller trout in the pools, and there were lots of holding areas for big fish. The going got a little tougher away from the parking lot, but nothing on the order of Mossey Glen. Later Impressions: If golf is a good walk spoiled, so is fishing at Bixby State Preserve, simply because there are so many things to see and do, and the walking is so hard near the stream. I will say that I saw many VERY large brown trout in this stream - unfortunately, they saw (and heard) me long before as I stumbled among the softball sized rocks that make up much of the streambed. Many areas almost describe an arroyo, with tall mullein plants growing up and giving a southwest feel. The stream itself has many deep pools, which mainly seem to hold sunfish. The trout were spending their time in the faster deep water undercutting dolomite boulders, near thick vegetation. I was able to climb up the bank and a ways up a hill to find a gorgeous small cold spring issuing from the rock. It flows unspoiled through watercress and over sand on a parallel but much higher track to Bear Creek, and then enters downstream. The juncture of the cold but fertile creek with the pristine cold spring makes for a wonderful interplay of blue and green colors. I would not hesitate to come to Bixby again, but I will temper my expectations as to catching fish, and focus on enjoying the walk. If you have not been here, and you enjoy nature's beauty, it is a must-see. Pictures and Video 2012-07-13_14-53-06_771.jpg 2012-07-13_14-22-30_633.jpg 2012-07-06_17-10-24_758.jpg 2012-07-13_14-22-15_382.jpg More photos: https://picasaweb.google.com/112188938424472069962/BixbyPreserve1132014?authuser=0&feat=directlink